#tbt: Top 10 Lessons of August 2018 | tonebase Recap
We ended the summer on a high note with the addition of 3 new artists — Joaquin Clerch, Rovshan Mamedkuliev, and Bahar Ossareh — and a bunch of new videos covering highly-requested topics including Tremolo and Memorization, plus pieces such as Fuoco, El Decameron Negro, and Sarabande BWV 996. Take a moment to reminisce with us as we look back on the Top 10 Most Watched Lessons from this past month!
1. Thomas Viloteau — On Right Hand Technique
In our most popular lesson this month, Thomas discusses his personal approach to right hand technique and shares tips for developing your own. The lesson begins with an overview of the different schools of thought related to right hand positioning.
2. Bahar Ossareh — On Memorization
In this lesson, Bahar gives an in-depth overview of memory and demonstrates several effective methods for memorizing a piece of music. After a detailed explanation of how memory works, Bahar discusses the different types of memory — visual, auditory, and muscle — and ways of developing each.
3. Thomas Viloteau — On Tremolo
Thomas is back, this time sharing his approach to developing a tremolo that is both rhythmically even and musically flexible. The lesson begins with an explanation of Thomas’ personal experience learning tremolo and why one should always put the music first when applying this technique to a piece.
4. Rovshan Mamedkuliev — On Color
In this lesson, Rovshan discusses the importance of using the wide range of colors available on the classical guitar. He begins by demonstrating the possibilities first in the right hand (changing your position on the string, using nail or flesh, altering the angle of attack…) and then follows with the left.
5. Sabrina Vlaskalic — Rondo Op. 2, №2
In lesson number five on our list, Sabrina teaches Dionisio Aguado’s exciting “Rondo” from his Introduction and Rondo Op. 2 №2. The lesson begins with Sabrina’s personal journey learning the piece starting at the age of 15 and the insights she has developed over many years of study.
6. Tal Hurwitz — Interview
In this month’s interview, Tal sits down to discuss his life with the guitar, thoughts on composing, and tips for classical guitar students. In addition, Tal touches on the idea of achieving “technical perfection” and whether such a thing is possible as well as the role of competitions in a player’s development.
7. Joaquin Clerch — El Decameron Negro
In his first tonebase lesson, Joaquin teaches all 3 movements of Leo Brouwer’s El Decameron Negro. He begins with a brief discussion of Leo Frobenius’ book “El Decameron Negro” and the stories that inspired each movement.
8. David Leisner — Etude №10
David continues his series on Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Twelve Etudes with this lesson on Etude №10. Working off the 1928 manuscript, David begins by pointing out some of the discrepancies found in the published edition, starting with the opening Anime marking.
9. Tal Hurwitz — Fuoco
Tal teaches the third and final movement, “Fuoco,” of Roland Dyens’ Libra Sonatine. In this lesson, Tal continues elaborating on the technical principles of preparation and stability that he introduced in his first lesson on Villa-Lobos’ Etude №2.
10. Tilman Hoppstock — Sarabande BWV 996
Tilman breaks down the musical complexities of J.S. Bach’s Sarabande BWV 995, originally written for cello and later transcribed for the lute. After introducing the piece, Tilman pieces together the arpeggiated chords featured throughout the work and uses Buxtehude’s Sarabande BuxWV 235 to show this Baroque technique used in another way.
We hope you enjoyed this stroll down memory lane as much as we did! If you’d like to watch the full version of all these lessons and more, you can do so by going to tonebase.co and signing up for just $8.95 a month! We look forward to seeing you there and sharing another month of great guitarists and insightful lessons in September!